representative

a person who represents and tries to sell the products or services of a firm, esp a travelling salesman Often shortened to rep

3.

a typical example

4.

a person representing a constituency in a deliberative, legislative, or executive body, esp (capital) a member of the House of Representatives (the lower house of Congress) See also House of Representatives

5.

(NZ) a rugby player, football player, etc, chosen to represent a province in interprovincial sports

adjective

6.

serving to represent; symbolic

7.

exemplifying a class or kind; typical: a representative example of the species

containing or including examples of all the interests, types, etc, in a group: a representative collection

8.

acting as deputy or proxy for another or others

9.

acting for or representing a constituency or the whole people in the process of government: a representative council

10.

of, characterized by, or relating to the political principle of representation of the people: representative government

representative

adj.

"serving to represent," late 14c., from Old French representatif (early 14c.), from Medieval Latin repraesentativus, from stem of Latin repraesentare (see represent). Meaning "standing for others" is from 1620s; in the political sense of "holding the place of the people in the government, having citizens represented by chosen persons" is first recorded 1620s. Meaning "pertaining to or founded on representation of the people" is from 1640s.

representative

n.

1640s, "example, type," from representative (adj.); 1690s in sense of "member of a legislative body."